Wire applying device for hay baling machines



Nov. 25, 1952 JAY WIRE APPLYING DEVICE FOR HAY BAL ING MACHINES -5 Sheets-Sheet l HIII INVENTOR George Jy ATTORNEYS Filed Oct. 8, 1948 Nov. 25, 1952 JAY WIRE APPLYING DEVICE FOR HAY BALING MACHINES Filed Oct. 8. 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR Mimi ATTORNEYS Nov. 25, 1952 G. JAY 2,619,028

WIRE APPLYING DEVICE FOR HAY BALING MACHINES J i INVENTOR /Gcozge Jay 46 ATTO RN EYS Nov. 25, 1952 JAY 2,619,028

WIRE APPLYING DEVICE; FOR HAY BALING MACHINES- Filed Oct. 8. 1948 Y 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR m George Jay N E BY IZ MAZ: Fit/Mil ATTORNEYS NOV. 25, 1952 v JAY 2,619,028

WIRE APPLYING DEVICE FOR HAY BALIING MACHINES Filed Oct. 8, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 as I INVENTOR 7 Geozge Jay BY Mi/mwjy ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 25, 1952 W IRE APPLYING DEVICE FOR HAY BALING ,..-MACHINES George Jay, Latln'op, Calif.,-assignor,-by -mesne assignmentspof one-fourth "to C. H. Harmon, Stockton, and one-fourth to Marvin *Frisk,

l Linden; 'Galif.

Application ,October. 8, 1948, .Serial' N 0." 53,572

Claims. 1

This'invention' relates'to, and it is an'object to provide, a semi-automatic wire applying device for haybalingmachines; thepurpose of the device being to mechanically feed vertically spaced wires"throughithe'baling chamber for subsequent manual tying.

In many conventional hay'b'a'ling machines the wires are fed, by'oneman, from one side ,oflthe baling chamber *through .slots or grooves in blocks which separate" the ibales; the wires being tied by anotherman on the opposite side of the baling chamber.

In particularithe present invention contemplatesyas another of its objects; the automatic feeding of the wires from said one side .of' the baling chamberto- .the opposite side; thus eliminating the. need; of a man to manually perform this operation.

"As another object, the'invention provides-a novel feeding mechanism operative to feed each wire double through .the baling chamber from said one side to theopposite side, with the. loop exteriorly ofithe'latter; there being. a. novel .v'vire cutting unit operative; in time'd relation,.to. sever the wire adjacent the loopso that one run..of each wire may be tied aboutacorresponding lead bale and the other run .remainfor tying, subsequently, about the next followinglbale.

An additional object of t the' invention is .to provide a wire applying device whichlis operative to feed the wires, as above, ataspeed greater than can be'accomplished by hand, andto permit faster hand tying thereof, whereby the output of the baling machine is. increased.

A further object of the. invention is to provide a wire applying device, which avoids the need of using slotted or grooved blocksto spaceadjacent bales for wire passage; the wires, in the present instance, being fed directly through the compressed hay at the point .at whichadjacent bales are to separate.

It is also an object of the inventiontoprovide a wire applying device which is designed for ready and convenient attachment to conventional, and existing, hay baling machines.

A iurtherobject of theinvention is to, provide a practical and reliable wirea-pplying device,; and onewhich will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are-accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement ofparts as willfully appear by .a perusal ofthe following specification and claims.

In the drawings: I

.Eig. 1 is an elevationof thedeviceasmounted iii) 2 ona "hay bailing mach-he and with the wirefeedin'g mechanism retracted the view looking for- Ward.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary"elevation, as" above, but with the needles fully advanced.

Fig. "3-is an enlarged, fragmentary,- transverse section of the device taken on-line 3-3 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of-Fig. 3.

Fig-'5 'isan -enlarged,*fragmentary elevation :of one needle, and cooperating" parts, at the" beginning of awvire-pick up operation.

Fig. 6- is -a similar view, but shows thencxt step in operation;- i. e., elevation of the wire'preparatory to threading to the 'groove'd'; pulley of said 'needle.

Fig. '7 is also a similar "view, but shows a subsequent step in" the operation i. e. the" wire being threaded but just shortofithe'grooved pulley.

Fig. 8 is anenlargediragmentary plan of one needle and the cooperating Dartsi-n .pos'itions corresponding, generally, in full lines, to Ei'g."6.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary .-se'ctional plan .on.line 9-9 of.Fig.-.1.show-ing 'the..shear actuating mechanism in .normal, non-working position.

Fig. l0 isa similarview,-..but.shows the.shear actuating mechanism in working-position.

Fig. 11 is :anenlarged fragmentaryside elevationof one of the shears short .of the actuating roller.

Fig; 12 is a similar view but showsithe' shear in engagement with the actuating roller.

Fig. ,13 is .a fragmentary sectional 'elevation of: one-ofthe wire. separating 'rfinger units.

Referring-now more particularlyto the :characters of. reference on. the drawings, 1 the novel wire applying :device for :hay Lbalingimachines comprises an elongated, i-laterally projecting frame I fixed, at its inner enclysin connection with the baling chamber Z of a-generally: conventional hay baling machine; the frame I being disposed at a point adjacent, but-"short -of,=the discharge end of saidbttling chamber 2.

The frame i which disposed vertically, and open horizontally, carries therein a ;rollermounted carriage 3, which runs on :upper and lower rails 4; the carriage "3: normally being inta retractedgposition' at the outerend of the frame I, as in.Fig. 1.

A plurality .of rigid, verticallyv spaced needles 5, here .three innumber, are secured "to, .and project. inwardly. from, .thescarriage 3 at. right anglestothe baling. chamber 2. ..Each needle-5 Reciprocation of the carriage 3 is accomplished" through the medium of the following mechanism:

A horizontal, laterally extending rack I9 is disposed below the frame I, and at its outer end said rack is fixed in connection with the carriage 3. Adjacent its inner end the rack I runs through a guide A vertical-axis pinion I2 meshes with the rack l0 adjacent the guide II; the pinion shaft (not shown) extends upwardly through a journal l3, and carries another vertical-axis pinion l4 above said journal.

The pinion |4 runs in mesh with a horizontal, longitudinally extending rack |5 mounted in slidable and guided relation along the adjacent side of the baling chamber 2 near the bottom of the latter. The mounting means for the rack |5 includes rollers IS.

The adjacent side of the baling chamber 2, at a point ahead of the assembly of pinions l2 and I4, is formed with a longitudinal slot H which exposes the follower or plunger l8 of the hay baling machine. A leg I9 is afiixed, at its upper end, to the exposed part of the follower. l8, and thence depends outside of the baling chamber 2 directly above the rack l5; there being a laterally outwardly projecting boss 20 on the lower end of said leg I9. An upstanding block 2| is mounted on the rack l5 in the path of the boss 20, wherebywhen the follower I8 is in its fully advanced position-boss 20, pushing against the block 2|, similarly advances the rack I5. This motion of the rack l5, as transmitted by pinions l2 and I4 to the rack |9, runs the latter, and the carriage 3, to its fully retracted position. This is the normal position of the rack l0 and said carriage 3.

When it is desired to cause one reciprocation of the carriage 3 and the needles 5, for the wire applying operation hereinafter described, a latch unit, indicated generally at 22, 'is brought into play, which latch unit is'constructed as follows:

A longitudinally extending latch 23 is pivoted, at its rear end, as at 24, to an upstanding ear 25 on the rack |5 at a point rearward of the block 2|; such latch normally extending at an upward and forwardincline, as in full lines in Fig. 3, to a point above and ahead of said block 2|; there being .a depending hook 26 on the free end of said latch 23. The latch 23 is normally maintained in the above described position by means ofa depending trigger 2'! pivoted, at its upper end, ,as at 28, to the latch 23 intermediate its ends; the trigger 2'! bearing forwardly against a stop 29. At its lower end the trigger 21 normally seats on a roller 30 at the elbow of an L-shaped arm 3| including a lower, rearwardly projecting leg, and a forward, upwardly projecting leg 3|a. The lower leg is pivoted at its rear end, as at 32, for vertical swinging of the arm 3|; said L-shaped arm 3| normally being maintained in its raised position, as in full lines in Fig.3, by a control linkage 33. Linkage 33 includes a bell crank 33a pivoted on top of the baling chamber, a depending link rod 33b con- .necting one leg of the bell crank and the leg 3|a of arm 3|, and a horizontal rearwardly projecting link rod 330 connected to the other arm of the bell crank and slidably extending through a fixed block B on the baling chamber. A compression spring 34 on the rod 33c extends between block B and a collar C on said rod and acts on the linkage to pull up on rod 33b and maintain arm 3| normally raised. Rod 330 at its rear end is provided with a handle 35, by means of which the linkage may be actuated to lower the arm 3| to its dotted line position of Fig. 3.

Upon actuation of the control linkage 33 and lowering of the arm 3|, the latch 23 drops to its dotted line position of said figure, so that upon the next full advance of the follower IB, the boss 20 snaps under the hook 26 and is engaged by the latter, whereby said boss 29 and the block 2| are locked together in adjacent, substantially abutting relation. Thereafter, with the next reciprocation of the follower l8, beginning with its back stroke, the rack |5 travels with said follower. The result is that the assembly of pinions 4 and I2 correspondingly reciprocate the rack Ill and carriage 3 first with an advancing stroke, followed by a retracting stroke.

It will thus be seen that by reason of the above arrangement, retraction of the follower |8 occurs at the time that the carriage 3 and needles 5 are advanced, whereas said carriage and needles retract as the follower l8 advances. Consequently, there can never be any accidental engagement of the follower IS with the needles 5 while the attezr are projected through the baling cham- When the follower l8 reaches its fully advanced position, the depending trigger 21 engages and rides onto the roller 39 of the L-shaped arm 3|; the latter having been returned to raised position by the spring 34. When the trigger 21 rides onto the roller 39, the latch 23 is raised to its normal non-working position, so that thereafter the follower l8 may reciprocate without causing any motion of the rack l0 and the parts actuated thereby. In short, the operator causes the latch 23 to fall into working position, but it is automatically reset to a non-working position after one reciprocation of the follower l8. This is necessary for the reason that the wire applying device is placed in operation only once for a number of reciprocations of the follower |8.

As each needle 5, including its point 1, and the cooperating mechanism on the side of the baling chamber 2 opposite the frame I, is identical in construction and function, a description of one will suifice for all.

Each shank 6 is of such length that when the carriage 3 is fully advanced, the corresponding needle point I is projected beyond the opposite side of the baling chamber 2, to there pick up a baling wire in the manner hereinafter described.

Each needle point 1 is formed with a downwardly opening throat 35, which is open to opposite sides of said point; there being a rearwardly projecting book 3'! at the forward and bottom portion of said throat 36. The edges of the throat 35 converge forwardly, as at 38, above the hook 31. A grooved pulley 39 is mounted on a vertical axis in a transverse slot 49 through the point I ahead of the throat 36; said slot 40 opening, at its rear end, as at 4|, to communication with the forward portion of said throat 36.

A baling wire 42 extends from a feed spool (not shown) rearwardly along the side of the baling chamber 2 opposite the frame I, and directly ahead of the corresponding opening 9 runs on a vertical-axis guide roller 43. The wire initially extends across the opening 9 and runs rearwardly through an' inwardly opening-corresponding longitudinal channel 44 in the -adjacerit side of the' baling cliarnber f, as-at 45. The wire in each channel "44 extendsalongside of what may be termed the lead bale ifipturns about theadvanced end of the latter, and extendstothe opposite side' of the machine for tying.

A "laterally projecting frame F is generally alined-"w i-th theope'nings 9, and a'wire lift arm 41 is'pivoted,as at '49, to the-frame F in correspondingrelation, and directly out from each opening 9. From the pivot 48, each wire lift arm 41 extends laterally inwardly, and at its inner end such wire lift arm 41' includes, at the bottom, a wire lift finger 49 which projects inwardly and rests on-astop fiange 59. Each wire s2 normally extends-from the roller 43 in supported relation acrossthe corresponding wire lift finger E9.

Aseach needle point 1 projects through the baling chamber 2, and begins to travel through the corresponding opening 9, said point passes over the wire 42 supported on the wire lift finger 49 of the corresponding wire lift arm 41, as in Fig. 5. With continued travel of said needle point to its maximum point of advance, as in Fig. 6, the leadend of saidpoint, whose upper surface is a cam 5| engages below a transverse pin 52 on the arm 41 intermediate its ends, swinging said arm upwardly, as in Fig. 6. This causes the finger 9 to lift the wire'52 into the throat 36, so that when the point 1 begins to retract, asin Fig. 7, the wire is caught by therearwardly projecting hook S'L'a'n'd is thence'g'uided by the converging edges through theslot openingai onto the grooved pulley'39.

With 'further'retraction of each point "i the correspondingwire 32 is pulled double through the openings 9, across the baling chamber 2, through its opposite sidepa-ndto a-considera-ble extent therebeyondrthe separate runs of-the wire' being indicated at -53 and 59, with the end loop engaged about the pulley 39. The carriage 3- and the needles 5 are caused to reciprocate once, in the manner previously described, whenever the operator determines that the lead bale 55 is of a predetermined length ahead of the transverse working. plane of said needles 5. With such reciprocation of the needles 5, the three corresponding wires 42 are picked up and pulled double, as above, through the compressed hay at the intended point of division between the lead bale Hiand the next following bale 55.

After the three wires have each been pulled double through and beyond the baling chamber 2 by full retraction of the needles 5, each wire is cutadjacent the roller 33 to separate the runs 53 and54. This cutting of each wire is accomplished by shears, and shear actuating mechanism, hereinafter described in detail.

With progression of compressed hay in the baling chamber 2, whereby each following bale 55 ultimately assumesthe position of, and becomes, the lead bale 4,6, the three baling wires extend about'the lead bale 39 with a run 54 at the advanced end and a run 53 at the trailing end. An operator, disposed on the same side of the machine as the frame I, but rearwardly thereof, manually picks up the runs 53 and 5d of each wire extending about the lead bale 46, and ties or twists said runs together.

As' each following bale'55 progresses to the position-of, and becomes, the lead bale 49, each wire-42 is pulled across the corresponding opening' 9'on-t'op'of the adjacent wire'lift finger 49, and travels with 'the ba'le,-as at '45, in the longitudinal channels 44; each wire'thusagain being ready'for pick' up bythecorresponding needle I when the lead bale '45 reaches-a. predetermined length.

The handle35 of the control linkage-"33 may be disposed so'that it"can ibe manipulated by the wire tyingoperator, ashe isin a position-to readily 1 view 1 the extent of progression of the lead bale 46.

The arrangem'ent of shears, and shear actuati-n'g mechanism is as follows:

A vertical shaft it {is journaled"between-ears 5i which project laterally fromthemainframe 1 intermediate its ends,-and arms 5d, corresponding toand-dispose'd in generally the same plane as, theneedles 5,' are fixed-to the shaft' dfi. The arms '58 project from theshaft inwardly and rearwardly, and each arm carriesat its free end, a pair of laterally, I inwardly extending, scissorlikeshears 59 which face generally toward'the frame I; each such pair of shears being heldby a spring 69, with the throat Bl normally open. One 1eg62 of each pair-of shears 59 is affixed to the corresponding arm 59, while the other leg-63 depends for actuation, as will hereinafter appear.

The pairs of shears 59, as'mounted in connection-with the arms 58, swing laterally inwardly, simultaneously, upon rotation of the shaft 59in a corresponding direction. The disposition of said pairs'of-shears when swung later-ally inwarmy to a maximum extent issuch that the corresponding run of wire 5t is within the throat SI for outting, but the "adjacentr'un of Wire'-'53 is clear of the'shears.

Fig. ll'illustrates' one'pair of theshearsas approaching the corresponding run-of wirei l, while Fig. 12' illustrates said run ofwire 54 'in the shear throat 6i ready to be-cu-t. As each pair of shears approaches its maximum -point of laterally inward motion, upon rotation of the vertical shaft 56, the lower leg 63 of said. pair of shears strikes an actuating roller 64 which swings said leg upwardly, causing said shears to cut the corresponding run of wire 54.

The vertical shaft 56 is rotated in the necessary direction to swing the shears 59 laterally inwardly, as above, by means responsive to return of the carriage 3 toits fully retracted position; such means comprising the following:

A radial lever 65 extends from the vertical shaft 59 in a rearward and outward direction, and is pivotally connected, as at 66, to a rod 6'! which leads outwardly therefrom. The opposite end of the rod 6! is pivotally connected, as at 68, to the outer end of a horizontal swing lever 69 pivoted, intermediate its ends, as at 19, to a support H which projects laterally from the main frame I The inner end of the swing lever 69 is in the path of a roller 12 mounted on the carriage 3. When said carriage approaches, but is short of, its fully retracted position, the roller 12 strikes the inner end of the swing lever 69 and urges it in adirection toshift the rod 61 toward the baling chamber 2. This results in rotation of the vertical shaft 56 in the direction necessary to cause operation of the shears 59.

A spring 13 normally pullsoutwardly on the rod 61 so that the lever 69 bears-against astop 14, with the inner end of said lever 69 in the path of the roller 12. The roller l2 rides over the lever 69 upon advance of the carriage 3, by reason of the fact that said roller is carried on a depending, pivotally mounted lever 15 whichmay swing rearwardly with respect to a stop 16. Thus, as the carriage-3-advances,-the roller-12 merely passes over the lever 69, but upon retraction of the carriage there is roller actuation of said lever, in the manner previously described.

In order to assure that the runs 53 and 54 of each wire are maintained in proper separated relation when severed, there is a wire separating finger unit, indicated generally at 11, which cooperates with each double fed wire as it is pulled beyond the baling chamber 2 by the corresponding needle 5. Each wire separating finger unit 11 includes vertically spaced rods 18 and 19 which extend between transversely spaced, vertical members 80 of the frame I; each pair of rods 18 and 19 being disposed and spaced so that the corresponding needle 5 may pass therebetween.

A radial finger 8| depends from each top rod 18 centrally of the ends of the latter, and as each rod 18 is rotatable, the finger 8| is free to swing. Thus, as each needle 5 advances, the finger 8| rides the top of the needle, but when each needle retracts, said finger 8| falls downward against the bottom rod 19 and between the runs 53 and 54 to effectively maintain them separated upon cutting of the wire.

With the above described wire applying device,

baling wire can be applied to bales without the need of the usual spacing blocks, and without the necessity of an operator to feed the wires through the baling chamber. The operation is accomplished smoothly, rapidly, and in a practical and convenient manner. As the tying of the wires can be accomplished by the operator more rapidly than in conventional, machines, the output of the machine is materially increased.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A wire applying device for a hay baling machine which includes a baling chamber having a reciprocating follower therein, said device comprising a frame extending laterally from the baling chamber, a carriage mounted for reciprocation on the frame in a direction transversely of the baling chamber, a needle extending from the carriage toward the baling chamber, the carriage and needle being normally outwardly retracted and spaced from the baling chamber, means to reciprocate the carriage so as to cause the needle to advance and project through the baling chamber and to retract and Withdraw from said chamber, guide means on said opposite side of the baling chamber fora longitudinal wire, means arranged to cause engagement of said wire with the needle when the latter is in a full advanced position whereby subsequent retraction of the needle and point pulls the-wire through the baling chamber and beyond said one side thereof, a shear arranged to sever the wire beyond said one side of the baling chamber, and means operative to cause actuation of the shear; said shear being'of scissom type including separate legs, an upstanding rotary shaft, an arm radiating from the shaft, the shear being affixed to the arm by one leg, the shear normally being clear of the path of the who but swingable to a wire severing position 81 upon rotation of the shaft in a certain direction, and said last named means including a cam member mounted to engage the other leg and thus actuate the shears upon swinging thereof to said wire severing position.

2. A wire applying device, as in claim 1, including a mechanism actuated by the carriage, adjacent the end of its retracting motion, operative to rotate the shaft in said certain direction; such mechanism including a swing lever, a member on the carriage to engage and swing said lever, and an actuating linkage between the lever and shaft.

' 3. A wire applying device for a hay baling machine which includes a baling chamber having a reciprocating follower therein, said device comprising a normally outwardly retracted structure mounted beyond one side of the baling chamber for reciprocation transversely of the latter, a needle extending from the structure toward the baling chamber, means to reciprocate the structure so as to cause the needle to advance and project through the baling chamber and to retract and Withdraw from said chamber, the needle having a wire pick-up point disposed beyond the opposite side of the baling chamber in a predetermined position when said needle is advanced and promoting through said baling chamber, guide means on said opposite side of the baling chamber for a longitudinal wire. means arranged to cause engagement of said wire with the wire pick-up point when the latter is in said predetermined position whereby subsequent retraction of the needle and point pulls the wire double through the baling chamber and beyond said one side thereof, with the runs of the Wire spaced horizontally, and a wire separating finger unit mounted to separate the runs of the wire beyond said one side of the baling chamber; said unit including a finger engaged and raised by advance of the needle, and released and dropped between said runs upon retraction of the needle.

4. In a hay baling machine which includes a frame, a baling chamber mounted on the frame, a follower adapted to be reciprocated within the chamber and a Wire threading needle unit adapted to be reciprocated transversely through the baling chamber; a means to operate the needle unit, such means comprising a rack mounted on the frame for movement longitudinally of the chamber, said chamber having a slot disposed in substantial parallelism with the rack, a leg outside the chamber and fixed to the portion of the follower exposed through said slot, manually operated latch means effective to selectively connect said leg in driving relation with the rack to reciprocate the same, driving connections interposed between the rack and the needle unit and operative to reciprocate the latter upon reciprocation of the rack, and means functioning automatically to effect release of the leg from said driving connection with the rack; said latch means including a block on the rack, a boss on the leg disposed in longitudinal alinement with the block, a latch hook pivoted on the frame above and in longitudinal alinement with the rack, means normally holding the latch hook clear of the block and boss, and manually operative means to release said holding means and allow the latch hook to drop into a position to engage the boss and hold it in a position adjacent the block; said latch hook holding means including a depending trigger on the latch hook, a lever arm pivoted on the frame below the rack, means yieldably acting on the arm to hold the latter in engagement with the trigger and maintain the latch hook in the position clear of the block and boss, and said manually operative means being eifective to swing the lever arm clear of the trigger whereby to allow the latch hook to drop by gravity into the position for engagement with the boss.

5; A machine as in claim 4 in which said manually operative means includes a bell crank pivoted on the frame for swinging movement in a vertical plane, a link connecting one leg of the bell crank with the lever arm, and a pull rod connected with the other leg of the bell crank.

GEORGE JAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

